A 'Future Car Electronic Component Performance Evaluation Center' to be Established in Pyeongtaek Brain City

Pyeongtaek City Attracts First National Research Institute in the Automotive Sector

A future automotive electronic components performance evaluation center will be established in the Brain City general industrial complex in Doil-dong, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do.

Pyeongtaek City announced on the 23rd that it was recently selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's 'xEV High-Voltage Battery and Charging Module Integrated Performance Evaluation Infrastructure Project' contest.

Location map of Pyeongtaek Brain City, where the Future Automotive Electronic Components Performance Evaluation Center will be established. [Image source=Pyeongtaek City]

This contest by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy was conducted to establish standards for high-voltage batteries and power components for electric vehicles and to build a center responsible for performance evaluation of these components. This follows the recent trend of electric vehicles shifting from a 400V-based system power structure to a high-voltage system exceeding 1000V.

According to the industry, the higher the voltage system in electric vehicles, the shorter the charging time and the more advantageous it is for high-efficiency driving, prompting accelerated technology development mainly in the United States, Germany, and China. On the other hand, in Korea, standards and criteria for high-voltage system electric vehicles are still insufficient, and there are no infrastructure facilities to evaluate performance.

With this contest selection, Pyeongtaek City will invest a total of 19.8 billion KRW, including 10 billion KRW in national funds, to establish the performance evaluation center in Brain City by 2027. The center will be jointly operated by the Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH), Korea Testing Certification (KTC), and Korea Advanced Automotive Technology Association (KAATA).

Specifically, the center will conduct ▲ testing of high-voltage batteries and charging module equipment ▲ performance evaluation considering the vehicle’s internal power system and control system overall ▲ technical support for improving energy efficiency ▲ evaluation of high-voltage electric vehicle components.

The city plans to build a future car industry ecosystem linked with industry, academia, and research institutions such as KAIST, Samsung Electronics, and the Clean Hydrogen Testing and Evaluation Center to ensure the successful operation of the center. It also aims to foster Pyeongtaek as a core city for future vehicles by connecting with government-led projects like the Future Mobility National Industrial Complex. To this end, the city plans to form a future car parts company council and hold related academic conferences in the second half of the year.

Meanwhile, Brain City, where the center will be located, is a mixed-use industrial, residential, and commercial complex being developed on a total area of 4,825,000㎡. The industrial complex boasts excellent access to ports, railroads, and highways, and with the three completed car manufacturers Hyundai Motor, Kia, and KGM nearby, it is evaluated as having the conditions to be a future vehicle research hub. Additionally, with Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek Campus nearby and the planned KAIST Pyeongtaek Campus, it has a favorable location for securing outstanding talent.

Jung Jang-seon, mayor of Pyeongtaek City, said, "Pyeongtaek not only manufactures automotive parts and complete vehicles but also handles over 1.6 million vehicles annually through Pyeongtaek Port, the nation’s top port for automobile exports and imports. We will provide all possible support to enhance the competitiveness of Korea’s future vehicle industry by linking related industries such as semiconductors and hydrogen vehicles."